Improvement in apparatus for mashing, grinding



t I e. ELLENBERGER. S sheen APPARATUS FOR ASKING, GRINDING w, FOR DISTILLERIES.

No. 181,060. Patented Aug.l5, 1876.

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MPEIERS, PHQTO-LITNDMAPHER, WASNINGfON, D C.

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APPARATUS FOR MASHING, GRINDING &C, FUR DISTILLERIES.

No. 181,060. Patented Aug.15,1876.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAV ELLENBERGER, OF BIEDENKOPF, GERMANY.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR MASl-HNGI GRINDING. 8m, FOR DISTILLERIES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 181.060, dated August 15, 1876; application filed June 10, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAV ELLENBERGER, of Biedenkopf, Prussia, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Mashing, Grinding, &c., for Distilleries, &c., of which the following is a specification This invention is an improvement on the machine for which Letters Patent of the United States have been granted to me on October 26, 1875, and consists in more thoroughly mashing the matter passed through the same,

these improvements being the result of years of experiment and of practice.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure I represents a cross-section of the mash-machine embodying my invention. Fig. II is a longitudinal section ofthe same; and Fig. III is a horizontal section of the lower part.

Similar letters represent similar parts in all the figures. p A is the steam-chamber, constructed of boiler-plates, capable of withstanding a pressure of about five atmospheres, provided with suitable steam-gage and gage-cocks. (Not shown in the drawing.) B is an opening in the top plate, capable of being closed steam-tight, for filling the chamber. D D are cooks for supplying water and steam to the chamber A; E, pipe connected with the steam-boiler; F, valve operated by means of lever F G, large pipe for carrying ofi' the steam liberated during the process of mashing. In this pipe an apparatus, Q, is arranged to produce a strong draft. This apparatus consists of a pipe with a conical orifice, pointing upward, and provided with a regulating-screw, a, by which the orifice can be graduated. Steam being introduced through this apparatus a strong current of air is caused to,pass up the pipe G in the same manner as an injector carries water into a boiler. By this arrangement not only steam liberated during mashing is carried up through the pipe G, but at the same time the mash is cooled by this process. H is the frame, and J the column to support the frame, upon which the chamber A is carried. K is an oblong mash-tub with rounded ends, and constructed with double sides and bottom, between which cold water and steam can be circulated, as may be desired, according as cooling or heating of the mash is required. S is the grinding or mash drum, attached to a shaft, V, provided with a fast and a loose pulley, L L. This drum S is of cast-iron, and is provided with wrought-iron knives or teeth n, cast or screwed on either parallel with the shaft V or diagonally to the same, as shown in Fig. I, across its face, in such a manner that they exercise a grinding and crushing movement as they pass over the bed-plate W, which is also provided with teeth. These teeth in the bed-plate W are arranged diagonally to the teeth attached to the drum S. As shown in Fig. I, and above described, the teeth n are fastened diagonally with the shaft. The teeth on the plate W are, in this case, ar-

ranged parallel to said shaft, as shown in Fig.

III. Below the bed-plate W a key or wedgeshaped plate, X, is arranged, provided with an adjusting-screw, w, for the purpose of moving this bed-plate W nearer to the face of the drum or farther away from the same.

Behind the drum S an inclined plate or partition, Y, is arranged in the mash-tub, up one side of which the mash is forced by the rota tion of the drum, and then falls down at the other side by its own weight, thereby causing a rotation of the mash round the mash-tub, around the partition-plate Z in the central part of the tub K. Over the mash-drum S acover, M, is arranged, and the top of the mash-tub K is covered by suitable plates m. N is a pipe to introduce cold water, and P a pipe to introduce steam into the space at the hollow sides and bottom of the mash-tub, provided with suitable valves or cocks, and R is a cock for emptying the same. 0 is a pipe to carry ofl the cooling water after the same has become heated. U is a pipe provided with a cock, to admit steam into the mash-tub for keeping the mash at boiling-point, used when Indian corn is being mashed for distilleries. O is a pipe for drawing 011' the mash when ready. K is a recess made in the bottom of the mash-tub in front of the mashing-drum, to

collect stones or hard substances, and prevent the same from coming between the teeth of the drum and bed-plate. p, pipe for carrying off water with which the mash-tub has been cleaned. Y is a movable scraper above the partition Y, arranged close to the drum S, to

prevent the mash being carried round and round with the drum. T is a safety-valve on top of the chamber A.

Having now fully described the several parts of my apparatus, I proceed with the description of the use and operation of the same.

First, mashing with potatoes: The potatoes to be reduced to pulp are placed in the steam-chamber A, where they are kept for thirty to forty minutes under a pressure of twenty to thirty-five pounds of steam, according to quantity. From time to time the condensed steam must be drawn off at the lower part of the chamber at h h. At the same time the necessary quantity of malt and yeast is reduced to pulp, and diluted with water to a a thin malt-milk, by the mashing apparatus in the vat below. The greater portion of this milky liquid is pumped into a vat situated a little higher than the mashing-tub, when that portion necessary for yeast is taken away, and the rest kept to sugar the mash.

The potatoes having now been sufficiently steamed, the valve F is partly opened, and

the potatoes forced out by the pressure of the steam; they fall immediately upon the drum S, which, making about two hundred revolutions a minute, reduces the same to the finest pulp ina very short time.

i The potatoes being frozen or rotten makes no difference as to the fineness of the pulp produced by this apparatus.

As the tub K is divided down the middle by the division-plate Z running nearly to the ends, and the inclined plane or partition Y is placed immediately behind the drum S, the mash is forced round and round as long as the drum S revolves. This drum is provided with about one hundred and eight knives, and the bed-plateW with nine knives. Thus, the drum making two hundred revolutions, there are one hundred and ninety-four thousand four hundred grinding-edges exposed to each other every minute. The pulp produced by this apparatus is so fine that the skins of the potatoes cannot be distinguished, while the power required is considerably less than that hecessary in any other constructed apparatus for that purpose.

As the potatoes are blown from the steam chamber A into the mashing-tub K they pass through a strong current of air, which is enough to keep the mash at a temperature of about 50 or 52 Reaumur, in which case the liquid malt can be introduced little by little without the mash turning into paste, and the Whole mash is mixed into a thin milky liquid. On. account of the very thorough mixing which is produced by this apparatus, three pounds of green malt-equal to two pounds of barley-are enough to turn the starch of one hundred pounds of potatoes into twenty per cent. sugar. It is also through this very thorough mixing that the sugar formation occurs very soon, and in about twenty-five to thirty minutes the mash can be cooled, which is done by passingthe mash" through a series of flat pipes surrohndedby water circulating in the opposite direction.

Second, mashing withIndian and other corn: It is well known that in the horny parts of Indian corn the starch-cells are. most abundantly found, and, owing to the hardness of the shell, are very difficult to utilize, on which account it has been very little used for distilleries, as

it had first to be ground to powder-a very expensive process. With this apparatus, however, the reduction of Indian corn into fine pulp is made not only easy but very profitable. In'dian corn, like other grain, comes first into the steam-chamber'A. Water is then let in until it stands abont one foot above the charge, when steam is introduced little by little until a pressure of abfout three to four at,- mospheres is reached, in which state it is al lowed to remain for about three-quarters of an hour.

During this time themalt is reduced in'the tub, as stated above. The valve F is then opened, when the charge falls'upon the drum S, and is there reduced'toj pulp.

The mash is kept the whole'time it is in the vat at a'temperatn're of about 75 Reaumur by the continual introduction of steam be"- tween the double bottom and sides of the mashing-vat K. p

All the horny starchpontainin'g cells in the Indian corn split and. burst open by the pressure they are subjected to in the steam-chamber A. The sugar formation takes place, therefore, with great rapidity. The mash 1B kept for about one hour'at atemperature of about 80 Reaumur, then cooled down to 56 Beaumur, during the whole of which time and operation the drum is keptworking. At 52 Reaumnr the sugar formation begins, and is perfected in about on hour,

Steaming the corn under high pressure, and

the fine pulp into whichit is afterward reduced to, combined with the thorough mixing with the malt it afterward undergoes, produce a sugar formation far betterqthan was ever be;- fore attainable, even with the use of sulphuric acid, or swelling the grain.

Having now fully described my invention and the manner of operation, I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 7 1. In combination with asteam-chamber, A, and mashing-tub K, the exhaust-pipe G, provided with an injector apparatus, Q, in the manner and for the purpose described.v

2. In a mash-machine, injcombination with the revolving drum S y the movable plate Y, in the manner and for the purpose speci fied.

3. In a mash-tub. K, provided with a central division-plate, Z, the inclined raised partition Y, situated behind the revolving drum S, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

,4. In a mash-tub, K, provided with a central division-plate, Z, the recess K, situated beforethe revolving drum S, for the purpose In testimony that I claim the foregoing I set forth. haye hereunto set my hand this 11th day of 5. The mashing-tub K, provided with a April, 1876.

partition-plate, Z, double sides and bottom,

elevated inclined partition Y, recess K, re- GUSTAV ELLENBERGER.

volving drum S, bed-plate W, and movable plate Y, combined and constructed in the Witnesses:

manner and for the purpose substantially as HENRY E. ROEDER,

set forth and described. W. EHRET. 

